Something New (I) (2006) User Reviews

Enjoyable Romantic comedy with a flipside look at racial issues.

[bobm5508 · 8/10 · 14 February 2007]

As a white, 60 year old retiree, I am a bit uncomfortable relating why I liked this movie so much, as I will probable say some politically incorrect things. But I enjoyed this movie for its thought provoking storytelling, so here are my thoughts.

I would think the Black Community (as I have heard Bill Cosby expounded many times) would love to see more stories about successful, professional people. The main character, and her girlfriend circle, seemed well grounded in their successful careers, but suffered real conflicted issues over their personal lives, the quest to find the "Ideal black Male" utmost on their minds. Fair enough! But, up pops an "Ideal White Male" and it is not easy to adapt their thinking. Their blind date meeting, the slow warming up, the problems that couples run into, were not earth breaking Romantic "comedy" ground. But the assimilation of a likable, white guy into the Black "experience" has some real impact. I felt the conversations rang true. Slow acceptance by her

friends seemed real. I was educated to the concept of the "Black tax" and the difficulty of "never having a day off from being Black". His request to "please take a night off from race issues" rang true from a person who wants to empathize and be supportive, but cannot really know the impact of the life. The fact that I am still thinking about the movie a few days later is meaningful (to me anyway!).

I wish the Mother character and probably the Brother as well, were more realistic in their haughtiness. Maybe the writer was looking for all attitudes to be explored, and, as likable as he was, the saintly Father may have been too good to be true. But the leads pulled off the underlying feeling that "love conquers all" and provided me with an entertaining, thoughtful couple of hours. It was the exact opposite of all those movies that I want "my two hours back!"

This movie was on point

[karlenerogers · 8/10 · 3 February 2006]

Geesehoward, to clarify something in your post: Sanaa's lover did not "assume" that she had a weave. It was after a night of lovemaking that he asked her about it as they lay in bed the next morning. I'm sure he was trying to run his fingers through her hair and found he was unable to.

I am a black woman who is married to a white man. I read the interview with Sanaa where she talked about living in Harlem and being terrified of holding his hand because she was afraid of the judgment. I felt as though she was writing my life story. Before we got married, my then boyfriend lived in Soho and I in Harlem. Walking around together in lower Manhattan, we got a few looks, but nothing even remotely close to the venom that was spit at us when we were together up in my neighborhood. People would stop dead in their tracks, hands on hips and say horrible things to us! And this is in the 21st Century! There were times I would actively dissuade my husband from showing me any affection in a Black environment because I didn't want the brothers to take it the wrong way and think it was an overt slap in their face-- you know, white man comes up in to the Black neighborhood to claim the Black woman while the Black man stands idly by. But after a time, I got over it. My man was just trying to love me. He was willing to take all the insults and stand by me and allow me to open myself up and let him in, so to speak. And I am so glad I did. I have been fortunate in having had positive relationships with all of the men I have dated seriously (who btw, were all Black). They all brought something special to the table. My husband just happened to come into my life at the right time when I was opening up to the idea of trying "something new". I have learned a lot from him, but he has also learned a lot from me. I think this movie did SO much in the way of allowing people to get a little more used to the idea that love comes in all shapes sizes and colors, and that it also comes with problems, depending on the type of relationship. Interracial relationships are going to always have family and societal disapproval, but guess what, everyone comes around eventually once they realized that it's not superficial, that there's true, honest love there. This is because people are just people, and if someone takes the time to get to know you, you discover all the things you have in common that have nothing to do with skin color. The moral of this extended post is this: After we had been dating for some time, my husband moved up to Harlem. Before you knew it, he was friends with everybody on the block and knew more people in my neighborhood than I did. That's because people are just afraid of what they don't know. Yes there is a lot of historical baggage attached to race in this country, but we can't keep schleping it around with us all the time, we've got to let it go, let it flow. I encourage all of you to see the movie. It was your typical predictable rom com, yes, where everything works out okay in the end, but it also has a lot to recommend it. I thought it was on point and funny and sad and all that good stuff. Go see it! (Plus it's the first studio film that's written, directed, produced and starred in by Black women!) You go ladies!

A Romantic Comedy with Substance

[kmsairam · 8/10 · 6 February 2006]

First off, this movie is NOT about a shortage of black men. In fact, there are plenty of black men in this movie: husbands, brothers, boyfriends, guys at Starbucks, club-goers. It just so happens that the main character Kenya, a black woman, falls in love with a white man. What's the big freakin deal?!?! To repeat, this movie is not about a shortage of black men; it never claims to be. It's a love story and one that is complicated by race. I thought the issues they had to deal with as a couple were very real, particularly Kenya's issues with her job.

I can totally relate to the Kenya character and I can easily think of 10 other black women who probably can too. This film was refreshing; it was so nice to see a smart, successful black woman as the main character of a movie. GO SEE IT!

A Sweet Romance with Serious Look at Inter-Racial Intimacy

[noralee · 7/10 · 20 February 2006]

"Something New" is a charming chick flick crossed with the BUPpie (Black Urban Professional) genre, like "The Best Man" and "The Woodsman."

While those guy films featured Sanaa Lathan, she really gets to shine here, and her chemistry with the actresses playing her three girlfriends is wonderful. Unusual for a chick flick, the girlfriends all have believable, non-media jobs given their post-graduate degreed education and competence, including lawyer and pediatrician, and are at age-appropriate, mid-'30's points in their ambitious careers. I've never watched UPN-type sit coms like "Girlfriends" to know if the portrayal of their entertaining interchanges, amidst a whirling camera, is unusual, particularly about the woes of dating, but they do sound like a racially charged take on "Sex and the City". I think it is probably unusual that we get to see Lathan's "Kenya McQueen" substantively at work, dealing with subtle issues of racism and sexism (including much discussion of "the black tax"). We absolutely believe she is a workaholic who has just made her first big investment, in a bare house.

But key is that Lathan and Simon Baker are wonderful together and that the stops and starts, hots and cools of their relationship are believable. I find it amusing that non-TV watching movie critics refer much to his appearance in "L.A. Confidential" as that was barely a cameo, while he registered as a hunk in several seasons of "The Guardian" and a hero in "Land of the Dead". But this is the first we've seen him as all get out romantic and the camera loves his rugged, scruffy look, as he's an outdoorsy landscaper.

Their courting and post-coital scenes are wonderfully sweet, the best such sensual scenes since "Bull Durham". I particularly liked the intimate, in tight close-ups, curiosity of their inter-racial discussions (though we only learn about her Afro-centric academic family and not his ethnically neutral one), leading to him committing what Oprah says is the number one no-no: never ask an African-American woman about her hair. At least we learn about his business background and also got one interchange where he seemed like a normal guy and not just too and not just too world-music listening, community garden volunteering, etc. good to be true.

I was glad that her father finally had a speech about historic diversity, sounding like Henry Louis Gates in the PBS series "African-American Lives", because even though debut director Sanaa Hamri and scripter Kriss Turner developed this with Lathan in mind, according to her interviews, she seems as black as bi-racial Halle Berry (as opposed to her darker-skinned friends), as I wondered why her hair au natural wasn't even curlier.

The film goes way out of its way to be fair to African-American men, including a too long stand-up comic routine. It's not easy finding a reason for a woman not to hook up with Blair Underwood.

I'll have to trust that the representations of African-American cotillion culture, including snappy choreography, were correct, because the film was incorrect in having a wedding of, ironically, their mutual friend in a synagogue, as they are not used for such personal events. I hope it wasn't for the sake of a joke by ladies in scanty summer dresses about being in a rabbi's office.

The cinematography has harsh contrasts in the California sun, which Baker has said in interviews was due to the differences between skin color.

Pleasantly Surprised

[nonapie56 · 7/10 · 15 June 2006]

I just watched "Something New" on DVD, and was quite pleasantly surprised. I was expecting to see the same old rehash of a spent subject. But, this movie and its fabulous script was very real and some of the experiences depicted, on point. I am a black woman married to a white man, and while neither my family or his ever had problems with our relationship, society wasn't buying it. But, it's really amazing how much color fades to the back as love moves to the fore. We enjoy watching these kinds of things together and with our sons (now adults and married too) because it; (one) reminds us how beneficial it is to listen to your heart and not to people who aren't in it, and (two) how others can come to appreciate your relationship if they're given time to adjust. The only thing I wish they'd shown was more of Bryan's family/friends or his neighborhood and how they would react to such a relationship. They only showed a brief glimpse of Bryan's father and we wished they'd explored that side a little better. But all and all it was totally worth the time.

Finally, a romantic comedy I can pay full admission for and not regret it later

[dawnwashington · 9/10 · 13 February 2006]

For about five years or better yet since I've been married, I have banned all modern day romantic comedies from my precious eyesight. Why you say? Because nine times out of ten they featured awkward pairings of big-name stars who had as much chemistry as a week old can of generic pop that was left in the refrigerator open, the plots were so insultingly predictable that you just wanted to take out a bull horn in Hollywood and yell to screenwriters and movie studios everywhere: "STOP INSULTING US BY RELYING ON YOUR FORMULAS TO MAKE YOUR MOVIES." Honestly, if I see one more chase scene to the airport to stop some chick from moving away, I'm going to blow something up, and finally romantic comedies were just plain unrealistic. I mean honestly, how many of us can believe that Jennifer Lopez, Diane Lane, and Julia Roberts are dateless. And how many women are really knocking down John Cusak's door to get a date? However, alas comes a true romantic comedy with depth, conviction, and heart. And while it did use a few formulas it did not depend on them. "Something New" features very real people, real responses, real dialogue, and most importantly real issues. I champion this movie for being groundbreaking and discussing things that no other (or few) mainstream film had the balls to tackle such as "The Black Tax," the true difference between racism and reverse racism, and Black hair culture to name a few. Don't get me wrong, THIS MOVIE IS NOT A BLACK MOVIE. It is definitely romantic and comedic at its very heart and it is something that can be appreciated by all. But I felt so much better about seeing this film when I realized that it took the time to think and bring some things to the forefront. I hate the fact that this movie was not marketed properly. What a misstep. This movie was for all because we have all had to grapple with pressures from our family, our careers, friends, and culture at one point or another and realize that being true to yourself is all that matters. Oh and by the way, the chemistry between Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker is phenomenal! I haven't seen chemistry like that in a long, long time. The movie is worth the trip just to see that.

Will make you pine for a better director and better script..

[A_Different_Drummer · 6/10 · 15 July 2014]

Saw Sanaa Lathan in AVP and basically thought she stole the film from a very talented cast. Could not understand why I had not seen more of her so I googled here and there and tracked down a copy of Something New. First the good news, I was right. The lady is a talented actress, the camera loves her, and she held her own here against a terrible script and terrible direction. The bad news? Reread that last sentence. As a viewer, I was fairly entertained during the first third -- the romantic part -- and then watched in silent horror as the film just starts to unravel as it winds inexorably to the conclusion. As a critic, I could not help but wonder how this interesting premise might have been better handled with the right people behind the camera ... and the typewriter...?

I absolutely loved it!

[rutalkenme · 10/10 · 14 February 2006]

I am 51, single, and a black woman. I have seen this movie twice, once with my youngest single sister and the second time with another younger single sister. I paid full price each time and will see it for a third time with a married girlfriend. I like the subject matter and say it is about time, not just for the subject, but also that it did not portray us black sisters in a derogatory light. We can be more than hookers and gangsters and maids on the big screen. My sisters and I identify with Kenya and unfortunately, we are all in that percentage class of the unmarrieds.

It reminds me of the classic "Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner". I loved that movie too. It broke barriers. There are more relationships going on like this than we care to admit. My sisters and I would date a white man in a minute, if it was meant to be. Race isn't a preference. If we could each find one good man, he could be green and we would date him.

At the second showing, some in the audience clapped at the end, and we lingered for sometime afterwards and read all the credits. We really liked it and so much of it was true. The soundtrack is beautiful. I can't wait for the DVD and the CD soundtrack to be released. I fell "in love" with this movie. Love is more than color. The only thing that would have made me more love sick is if Brian was played by the hot and cute flavor of the day Matthew McConaughey!! I said it, yes I did!

Additional comment: Okay, I saw this movie for the third time and paid full price cause I loved it. It saddens me that this movie is not getting the PR it deserves. It's a hot topic, especially since it deals with us being seriously involved with a white man. The brothers have been doing this for years, yes years! Sisters, I say allow yourself to flip the script.

Real life, real nice

[sticky2141960 · 7/10 · 13 July 2006]

I have watched several films lately by Black writer/directors. Like this film, they are helping to dispel all the ghetto stereotypes that Hollywood tends to perpetuate. It has been refreshing to see movies that seem to mirror my own experiences. The Black middle and upper middle class is real. Black women execs exist! We are not all ghetto girls who can only speak ebonically. Black people desire that soulmate and genuinely fall in love. I applaud the women collaborators for their work to bring some truth about Black life to the screen. They had the courage to acknowledge some pressures that Black people must deal with on a daily basis. They did this in an honest yet non-defensive manner. More than anything I think this movie is about discovering ones self and learning to live life to the fullest on your own terms. Good theater (film) should instruct as well as entertain. These ladies accomplish that goal with finesse. No outlandish situations, just real life, real nice.

Watchable, but annoying sometimes

[reeldramaqueen · 5/10 · 7 July 2007]

I will have to start by saying, I have never been in an interracial relationship but I am not opposed to them. However, I do have friends who have been an IR, so I'm not completely unexperienced with them. That said, some of the things in this film are unbelievable, or maybe its just me. Her girlfriends act as if having sex with a white man was some outlandish thing, like she had had sex with an alien or something. And the whole while I'm going---Jesus, the man is Caucasian, not a martian. I don't know any black women who would be like that, but again, that could be just me. And if it had been the other way around, if the white guy's friends had been like that, wide-eyed and shocked (which probably isn't untrue in actuality) I guarantee that would have been perceived as racist. Rightfully so.

I can't say that I rooted for Sanaa Lathan's character either. Don't get me wrong, I think she's a nice actress, but she was irritating in this film, so was her mother. Some of the issues addressed though in the film ring bitterly true, such as how a black woman might feel in white-dominated corporate America and how it might be difficult for her to find a man on her level, or man who truly wants her for her and not her money. All that said, I watched it until the end because I am a fan of Simon Baker. Its overall a good film, but the best IR flick remains "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

sweet and refreshing

[vodiseinlove · 10/10 · 16 February 2006]

I saw the trailer for this movie and was itching for it to come out. It was better than I initially thought that it would be. I think that it touched on a subject that seems to be taboo in today's society. I will admit that the character Kenya had major issues to deal with, and she did't give Simon a fair shake in the beginning. She did however portray how African American women relate to each other and how most of us feel about the taboo that is interracial dating. There were many times in the movie when I really felt sorry for the way she behaved towards this genuinely nice guy. I did like the way the relationship developed, it wasn't forced and it didn't seem fake. It dealt with a lot of issues from both sides. I must admit that I watched it more than once because I thought it was that good. it teaches you to be open to other options, don't limit yourself because you might miss out on something great.

Less than original in pretense and execution, but still worthy of a viewing

[Alieniloquium · 6/10 · 6 February 2006]

Sanaa Hamri's debut feature "Something New" is a romantic comedy about Kenya, a successful black business woman, and Brian, a white landscape architect. It is as much about the development of their relationship as the development of questions about interracial relationships and racial identification. The film borrows heavily from Douglas Sirk's "All That Heaven Allows" and Todd Haynes' more recent adaptation "Far From Heaven." "Something New" uses these previous films as a starting point for its investigation of what inhibits Kenya and Brian's relationship that crosses racial and class boundaries.

The opening frame immediately recalls both films with its autumn leaves falling to the ground. "Something New" uses the class of the warm tones of the leaves to class with Kenya's dull beige world. Just as "All That Heaven Allows" used the color red for sexual activity, Brian paints Kenya's toes red in a scene that hardly needs symbolic color to insinuate sexuality (it is also pleasantly surprising that the MPAA resisted the R-rating slap for this scene). The film borrows its premise from "Far From Heaven" and flips it around to develop its argument further. Instead of an upper middle class white woman falling for a lower class black gardener, Hamri shifts the focus away from mere prejudice to the more complex issue of racial identity. What inhibits Kenya is not racism but a social pressure for her to maintain her connection to her race.

Not borrowed from Sirk or Haynes is Shane Hurlbut's cinematography. While Kenya is still irrationally afraid of becoming involved with Brian, Hurlbut overexposes the film to create a more significant contrast between Kenya's dark skin and Brian's light skin. The result is also a rather uncomfortable, almost blinding shot because the backgrounds are so bright. Further, when Kenya and Brian are more comfortable with each other, the shot is significantly darker. The beige coloring of the house combined with the low key lighting makes Brian and Kenya's skin nearly identical in shade.

These tactics are unfortunately not well developed, as the film drops these ideas about half way through in the interest of being a cookie-cutter romantic comedy. What is left is the inventive, though still stereotypical, set of parents and friends. Kenya's parents are basically white, but attempt to maintain their black identities through what is shown to be irrational rituals. Kenya has been brought up on the same set of ideals and is consistently ashamed of herself for even entertaining the idea of dating a white man, though she has no idea why. Hamri has no way of conveying these notions except through awkward dialog and lame speeches, with one exception. In another scene that the censors must have missed, Kenya's mother's birthday takes place at a show that can only be viewed as a satire on Kenya's parents attempt to desperately hold onto their African (and it is implied, animalistic) heritage. If only the film could have maintained its momentum with such scenes, it could have transcended its genre.

The film entirely falls apart when the love story must finally develop. It forgets all its previous ideas and plops itself right into the pit of cliché and gimmickry. There is a terrible Cinderella moment after Kenya's father unveils that his character really is the archetypal wise old man in a horrible monologue about racial identity. "Something New" poses the complex problem of racial identity in a mixed world, but the ending sadly fails to explore why it is a problem or to recognize any solution to the problem. The only question is does attempt to answer is the immensely dull "Does love conquer all?" The first half is a good film, if borrowed from previous greats, and worth the recommendation.

Something borrowed, Nothing New

[territillman · 5/10 · 11 February 2006]

Sanaa's beauty and grace is the most memorable feature of this film. If you are looking for a deep, meaningful take-a-way, then go see something "else", not "Something New". As a black woman, I saw this film with a white male. Although we saw ourselves in several of the scenes, the script was lacking in richness, and depth. I didn't come away feeling as though the message was clear that dating across racial lines could be a wonderful and exciting experience. It seemed filled with stress and superficial experiences. The stereotypical depictions of whites loving dogs and camping and hiking and and blacks being mostly concerned about their physical appearance, wearing weaves, and bumping and grinding was a disappointment. It said to me that black women are superficial, contrary to whites who appreciate nature, animals and good fresh air and exercise.

To me, a real connection is when you meet up with someone whom you don't have to adjust to,or adjust for. I don't recall him having to make many adjustments - but she had to, to fit in with him.

The movie was cute, because Sanaa is. She's adorable and likable and she has great acting range. Unfortunately, the script was weak and needed a bit of substance. It needed to show her growth, introspection and progression.

Movies like "My Best Friends Wedding", or "You've Got Mail", are all comedies too,and while neither of them take on any significant social issue, you do come away thinking AND smiling....not just smiling.

The chemistry between her mom and dad was non-existent, and where were Brian's friends? Let's talk about what his friends and family would think, say or do.

The movie was focused too much on a preoccupation with sex, rather than a soulful connection. That's the key, a soulful connection. If that sort of connection is a factor, then the sex will be too, and good sex it will be!

Having said all of that, I do recognize that the movie was a comedy and while it should not be expected to make strong social statements, it was a missed opportunity to do just that. The issue is not "dating a white guy is good (or better than dating a black man)". The issue is, if the RIGHT guy just happens to be white, then don't let his being white prevent you from pursuing the relationship!

By the way, Blair Underwood is a skilled and under-used actor. I was glad to see him. Alfre Woodard does NOT make a good "snooty" mom. Interesting that this is the second time she has been paired up with Sanaa. She was Sanaa's "snooty" mother in Love and Basketball, too. And might I mention as well that Alfree just happens to be married to a white guy? Imagine that! This comment is dedicated to: ML & MBFITWWW, who just happens to be, white.

Black Men, Get Over It

[talula32 · 9 February 2006]

Oh my God, you men just can't stand for something to not be about you. I saw "Something New" during the opening weekend. I liked it. It's good, but predictable. I wasn't surprised by that. The reason why I wanted to see it is because while it has become more sociably acceptable for a black man to date white women (who are seen as some sort of prize or symbol)a black woman dating outside the race, especially a white man, is seen as a betrayal and I wanted to see how the movie handled that. What completely shocks me is the response on this list about how this movie dogs on black men? Where? When? When Kenya's friends are trading bad relationship stories during the opening scenes? When Kenya's friend starts dating a chef and ends up being engaged to him? The only character in this movie who would even appear to be insulting to black men is Donald Fasion and quite frankly, I've met too many black men like that to say it's a stereotype. I think a lot of you are just mad because she ended up with the white guy and why shouldn't she? The truth is so many black men on her "level" are already dating white women, number one. Number two, black men treat black women like sh*t. The same black man who will treat a white woman like a princess will treat a black woman like the dirt that he walks on, which isn't even an issue that this story touched upon. So to all those black men out there getting bent out of shape i say suck it the freak up. This ain't got sh*t to do with you, for one.

Haiku: Something New

[netflixhaiku · 7/10 · 12 February 2006]

HAIKU: Old stereotypes. / New ideals. Borrowed gardener. / Blue-eyed bedroom thrills.

FOUR PLUSES & A NEGATIVE: 1) Thoroughly enjoyable Romantic Comedy with sizzling chemistry between the leads. 2) Written and Directed by Black women with a strong Black cast. 3) Positive messages about Black professional accomplishment, family, friendship, etc. 4) Great perspective and insights into interracial issues. 5) Not enough shirtless gardener shots!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: There is a gay version of this movie waiting to be made. Being a gay, Black male, I have dated men of all skin colors. From reasons ranging from sexual to psychological, I prefer white men. Gay issues aside, it was incredibly difficult to navigate successfully the stereotypes, ideals, and societal pressures of being a Black man. Authenticity seemed to not exist for me, whether being the Black among Whites or not being "Black" enough for Blacks. As a result, none of my White relationships lasted.

I give every credit to interracial couples who have a successful go at it, like my current partner's parents who have been married for over 25 years… most of which time was spent in Texas (yikes!). My partner's skin color is Black, more like coffee with cream, and we've been together for six years. We both saw "Something New" in the theater last night (versus waiting for it to come out on DVD/Netflix. It's our way of supporting Black movies of which we consider this to be one.) Although it was just a movie, we were both uplifted by the positive message and portrayal of Blacks foremost, but of people in general. If you want to reaffirm that love is possible, regardless of your sexual orientation or skin color, then I would recommend this movie.

If you'd like to read more of my haikus, please visit my blog: richardwallenhaiku.blogspot.com

If you can't relate then maybe you can empathize

[TheMovieMark · 6/10 · 3 February 2006]

I have a confession to make. *takes a deep breath* I am not a professional black woman. I know that's a little hard for you to believe, but it's true. I don't know what it's like to be part of the 42.4% of black women who never get married. That's what the movie claims, and who am I to question those numbers? Combine that with the fact that this is a film directed, written, and produced by black women, and it's fairly safe to say that Johnny Betts isn't exactly part of the film's target audience.

Never underestimate the importance of connecting with your target audience. Black women in the theater were laughing, clapping, and amen-ing throughout the entire runtime. It was obvious they were watching characters they could relate to. I, on the other hand, would have felt like a bit of a poser had I joined in on the applause and shouts of "you go girl!" when Kenya finally ditched her weave.

However, that doesn't preclude me from finding something to enjoy here. Granted, Something New doesn't entirely live up to its name in regard to many standard elements of the romantic comedy, but it does offer a little something new concerning its lead characters. There isn't a plethora of interracial romantic comedies. And believe it or not, this approaches the subject just a wee bit more seriously than Ashton Kutcher's Guess Who. Shocking, I know.

The moral of this story is incredibly simplistic. Blair Underwood, doing his best impersonation of a new generation Billy Dee Williams, sums it up nicely, "Something New is about how you can't determine, define, or pinpoint who you're going to fall in love with. Can you throw your list out the window, throw caution to the wind, and follow your heart?"

Thankfully, for the sake of drama, the bootylicious Kenya (who has an equally killer smile) and Mr. Five-O'Clock Shadow Brian don't find it quite so simple to just follow their hearts. Otherwise, we'd have a five-minute movie. Kenya's mom, brother, and friends all agree that she needs to continue her search for the IBM. That's "Ideal Black Man" for those of you not as well-versed in the slang as I. Astute watchers of the romantic comedy should have no problems predicting how all this will end up, but the solid acting, credible chemistry, and sporadic laughs keep your interest until the end. Unless you instinctively hate all movies in this genre.

Does Something New offer something outrageously original, creatively clever, and uproariously hilarious? Nah. But it does offer a little something different than the "date movie" norm. No doubt this will appeal more to black women who may see a little of themselves in Kenya, but similar to a Johnny Betts movie review the movie maintains enough universal appeal to avoid exclusion. Just like Brian, some of us might not be able to relate, but we can empathize.

One of the best romantic comedies I've seen

[mskilah_2000 · 10/10 · 23 February 2006]

I was told in advance not to see this movie so I hesitated. However, I saw the picture anyway and was disappointed. This film did not get the press it deserved. If you are into romantic comedies with a twist this movie is for you. I loved this film. The casting was perfect. The acting was believable and the chemistry was intense. Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker does a beautiful job in this film. It was a real story that I could relate to and it was brought out with unique yet beautiful cinematography. This is a mature more sophisticated story on interracial dating than prior films put out there. If I was not laughing, I was smiling through out the entire film. One of the best romantic comedies I've seen in a long time. Bravo

Same same, but different (?)

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 25 June 2021]

Mixed race relationships are still frowned upon by too many people ... I'd say it wasn't much better 15 years ago. And it is how society or your friends/family perceives you at times that makes you decide who you want to be with ... not your own happiness ... which I don't think I actually have to point out that much is quite wrong.

Having said all that, the movie makes good use of what I wrote and even while we know better, the character decisions make sense in the enviroment they are being made ... it is quite the fine romantic drama that evolves with very fine actors. For some it may be more like a tv movie, but others will like what they see in a much bigger fashion and way.

Great Valentine Movie - Simon is hot - Sanaa is lovely

[bdorley · 10/10 · 4 February 2006]

I love this movie!!! What a great valentine story. My girlfriends and I laughed the whole movie through. It is a lovely, fun, serious and romantic movie all at the same time. I am totally in love with Simon Baker. He is hot. "Simon you can do my garden anytime, baby". I am glad to see that Hollywood has finally caught up to what is everyday life for the rest of us. Interracial dating is no longer a taboo nor is it 'sometinhg new.' Blacks and whites have been dating and getting married in America since the sixties. I'm just glad to see that Hollywood is big enough to show that black women are just as desirable as women of other races. Great job Sanaa and Simon. You two did a wonderful job making the relationship seem real. There was a natural on-screen chemistry between the two of you that made the movie believable and enjoyable. Sanaa is lovely in the film. I hope she gets the recognition she deserves in Hollywood. Peace...Bindu

Wonderfully Cute

[ladewi · 7/10 · 24 June 2007]

This movie was so wonderfully cute.I found it very real. This film does not preach the "joys" of interracial dating, but gives the watcher the true nature of what dating and finding love should be. It shows how the constraints that family , those around us , society and even ourselves can keep one from from finding happiness.It tells the story of a woman who finally frees herself of those constraints to find true love and happiness. A very good lesson for love and life.

One of the best lessons that the protagonist Kenya learns , is that you may get the "Perfect" guy, (as in the Blair Underwood character), but that those ideals of perfection get lost when the feelings JUST AREN'T THERE.

This movie is a wonderful story of love, romance, and letting go of certain strong ideals, so one can find everything one ever wanted.

Horrible

[Siimon_ · 1/10 · 30 October 2021]

I also couldn't help but think that if the situation were reversed, with a white woman wanting to date a black person, negative comments about HER race would be tolerated? I think not!!!!

Just wonderful

[notelmerfudd · 8/10 · 12 July 2006]

This film has some flaws. It has some moments that are just dreadful. It has entire scenes that would get a C- in a screen writing 101 class. Yet it's a wonderful film. Sanaa Lathan gives a superb performance, as does Simon Baker. Wendy Raquel Robinson, Alfrie Woodard, Russell Hornsby, Donald Faison and Blair Underwood are all wonderful, while Golden Brooks will probably (just barely) avoid be indicted for accepting payment for her "perfomance." (Most of the truly dreadful moments in the film involve her, which is odd as she is not at all a bad actress.) While the film has such flaws, it overcomes them with charm and intelligence, and the wonderful on screen pairing of the leads. Okay, so Kenya (Sanaa Lathan's character) gets what she wants far too easily - repeatedly - and so there's a needlessly absurd scene involving a white boy in a Mexican mariachi outfit at a black high society event, which in real life would be humiliating for everybody within six city blocks.

The film has something of value to say about race, about prejudice - black and white - and about following your heart and finding somebody to love. As a white boy married to an incredible black woman, I can tell you that the best twenty bucks I ever spent was in buying this film for my wife. It's brought her such joy and so many hours of happiness (she's incredible, sure, but she's also a major wacko - she'll watch the same film three time in one day for three days running and love it more each time), that I'm thinking of buying another TV/DVD player, just so I can leave this on 24/7 for her.

The point is, rent it, it's just great (except for the dreadful parts).

Update of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

[eastbergholt2002 · 7/10 · 22 October 2006]

Something New is a well written and enjoyable film. Two characters from different racial backgrounds meet fall in love and cope with prejudice. Kenya McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) is a successful L.A. career woman (Stanford, Wharton). Kenya is black and looking for a boyfriend but can't find the right brother (this is how the characters talk). Kenya agrees to a blind date with Brian Kelly (Simon Baker) who is white and a landscape architect. Kenya is initially repelled by the idea of dating a white guy, but she falls for Brian as he remodels her yard. He's a free spirit and scruffy. She is uptight and anal. In this movie opposites attract and they become a couple. Inevitably boy loses girl before the denouement.

The movie is also about prejudice. In most Hollywood movies about race its usually the white people who are blamed for bigotry, but in this film Brian has a hard time being accepted by Kenya and her family. Kenya's father is a wealthy doctor and her mother played by Alfre Woodard is socially ambitious. Her younger brother Nelsen (the surgeon from Scrubs) is a lawyer, and disapproves of the relationship. He tries to steer Kenya toward his mentor Blair Underwood. Underwood is a handsome and successful lawyer and the ideal catch. Kenya's girlfriends Cheryl, Suzzette, and Nedra provide advice and wit.

The movie is well acted and the director (Sanaa Hamri) and writer (Kriss Turner) do an excellent job.

ambitious romcom looking at race and young professionals

[Chris_Docker · 5/10 · 22 November 2006]

Are you young, successful and single? Kenya Denise McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) is an intelligent, high powered executive with not enough time for a personal life. She also happens to be black. Brian Kelly is a successful landscape architect - and happens to be white. The Californian romantic comedy that develops explores issues of race, and the dilemmas of a growing number of single professional people.

Something New has an ambitious agenda: a love story that is intellectually challenging; and a wake-up call about race issues too often ignored. Kenya is roused on Valentine's Day, a beautiful white wedding dream shattered by her morning alarm. Laptop schedules, power walks to work, all crammed into an opening collage with slowly descending flowers, gear us to expect the unexpected.

Dateless, Kenya (who doesn't like sushi, dogs, creepy-crawlies or the colour red) has a cocktails night out with the girls. They discuss how 42.4% of black women are not married, and how that figure is top-heavy with professional achievers. Next day, on a blind date with the charming, successful and attractive Brian (recently reprieved from Devil Wears Prada but without the smarm), she demonstrates her sad ability to find an eligible male unsuitable within seconds. Later, when they get together, he hits a thinly disguised wall of prejudice from her black friends and family, yet fails to realise the prejudice Kenya lives with every day in her job. Predictably, he eventually manages to surmount problems and introduces colour into Kenya's life in more ways than one.

The plot may sound familiar romcom territory, but the intellectual issues and a promising script with words of more than two syllables aim it in a slightly higher echelon.

In many ways, the film is very timely. The success of phenomena such as speeddating bears witness to the isolation felt by a growing class of professional singles. Kenya is neurotically efficient, but treats dating with the same mentality as her work (and with the result that I've observed in many of my friends). Brian is emotionally her opposite. In a telling close-up, we see him rubbing earth through his hands in her overgrown garden. It is as if he connects with the earth, whereas she only has a sanitised and distant relationship with it.

The other strand that is well illuminated is race. Films addressing U.S. racial issues tend either to oversimplify or, as with films such as Crash, appeal mainly to art-house filmgoers. Something New successfully highlights genuine racial differences and problems while at the same time offering excellent black role models. We first sense Brian's discomfort at the barrage of polite but double-edged comments of disapproval about his relationship with Kenya. In the best scene of the film, she movingly reflects her own predicament, pointing out that he is uncomfortable (only) when he's in a roomful of black people that remind him he is white: she, on the other hand is in the equivalent position every day.

Something New has so much going for it, yet frustratingly falls down in crucial ways. Dialogue covering the controversial issues is good, but is left wanting in the less demanding area of romantic comedy. Sudden leaps of faith that Kenya makes to go out with Brian, or the similar crossing of racial divides, are inadequately scripted. The film falls uneasily between second-rate mindless romance and more cerebral drama. It excels in asking questions but can't offer convincing answers. Analysis of metaphors such as 'black tax', or failings of a check-list approach to dating, are not resolved with trite clichés about following your heart and all being the same under the skin. The audience has no consistent frame of reference and ceases to care. Are we going to have a nice, silly girlie movie or not? Are we getting internally consistent arguments about the issues or not? The acting is fairly pedestrian and the promise shown by imaginative cinematography in the opening scenes not carried through the rest of the film.

Something New attempts more than it can deliver, however noble its intention.

It's Something New...

[scuban · 18 August 2011]

Something New doesn't try as hard to be funny like the other recent Black woman/White guy love story Guess Who. The humor isn't slapstick and both sides are shown respectively. Instead this film devotes to showing realistic challenges of interracial dating experienced on both sides of the color spectrum; however, more so from a professional Black woman in contemporary US society, a rare Hollywood perspective. It includes her frustrations of perceived racism at the work and the "Black tax" Afro-Americans must pay in effort to be as successful as their Caucasians colleagues. I can understand why her love interest wouldn't be able to relate and growing weary of this complaint if she kept bringing it up.

I didn't know about the elegant rites-of-passage ceremony (called a cotillion) before this movie and learned more about the history of the Afro-Am version afterwards from a friend.